Different Types of Wiring Harnesses

Replacing your factory radio with a new aftermarket receiver may seem like a daunting task, but if you have the right accessories, it will be a cinch. Before installing your new CD player, make sure you have the right accessories including the correct wiring harness. You may wonder about the multiple wiring harnesses some companies carry and which one is right for your vehicle and application. Well, we can explain some information that may help you in determining which car stereo wiring harness to purchase. If your vehicle has an advanced sound system, there are special accessories that required in order for you to maintain certain functions in your vehicle. For vehicles that do not include these special systems, a basic wiring harness will fit your needs perfectly.

The basic wiring harness is the most popular and used in vehicles when installing an aftermarket CD receiver. They offer a quick and clean installation without cutting your OE Radio plug. These basic harnesses can be used in almost every vehicle that does not have any specialty functions. After connecting the harness, all you have to do is color-match the wires and connect the aftermarket receiver. It is as easy as that.

Price wise these harness are extremely cheap. They will allow you to install an aftermarket head unit but will not retain any advanced sound features. If you purchase a receiver from our company, these wiring harnesses will usually come with it for free.

These particular wiring harnesses are used in vehicles that either have advanced sound systems, OnStar, CAN Bus or when you want to integrate a factory amplifier into your new head unit. Advanced sound systems include those with Bose, MACH and JBL and have become more prominent on newer vehicles. In order to retain the factory sound system, a wiring harness that has been made specifically for that vehicle is necessary. If you decide to use a basic harness like the one described above, it will not work. An example of a harness that is required for Bose or Non-Bose vehicles with factory OnStar is the Scosche GM09SR. This harness is needed in order to retain the OnStar while keeping the GM Safety and warning chimes functioning throughout the vehicle. All of these great features would be lost if you decided to use a basic harness. As for CAN Bus vehicles, Scosche introduced the CR06SR which is made for Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep vehicles. This harness will provide a +12V accessory power wire for the aftermarket unit. It will also auto detect the factory amplified system and even turns it on digitally. Installing these harnesses is similar to the basic wiring harnesses. Wiring involves color-matching the wires and then installing the head unit.

Price wise these harnesses are more expensive than the basic but they do so much more. They keep your vehicle functioning properly and will allow your vehicles computer to receive the correct information.

Staff writers at Sonic Electronix are experts in their field. In addition to a complete in-house training program, these experts typically have many years of hands-on experience in their specialty. Some come from car audio installer backgrounds, while others come with extensive retail experience.